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Estrada Topples Yudica
Pound-4-pound queen Seniesa "Super Bad” Estrada (25-0, 9
KOs) defended her WBC/WBA minimumweight world titles via
unanimous decision against Argentinian former world champion
Leonela Yudica (19-2-3, 1 KO) Friday night at Pearl Concert
Theater at Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas. The 31-year-old
pride of East Los Angeles, California, now sets her sights
on becoming undisputed champion.
Estrada switched back and forth between orthodox and
southpaw stances, landing quick combos on Yudica. Her
offense, however, left her open to counters as she tried to
cut the distance.
Yudica, who possessed a slight reach advantage, began to
counter Estrada with left hooks and straight hands as the
rounds progressed. Estrada, sensing the fight slipping away,
intensified her attack in the later rounds and began landing
more punches despite receiving several in return of an
increasingly tit-for-tat affair.
Estrada retained her unified crown with three scores of
97-93.
Estrada said, “I knew coming into this fight that she was a
boxer who would move away from me and not come forward much.
I knew I had to show something different. In my last fight,
I fought a good champion who came forward and was
aggressive, and I easily outboxed her. In this fight, she’s
a boxer and a mover, and I showed that I can fight any type
of style because my style is very versatile.
"I definitely had to use my footwork. I had to use my feints
and movements to make sure I was close enough to land
punches and not get countered. I did get countered, of
course. It’s a fight, so that’s going to happen. But I just
continue to prove that I’m the best in the division.
“I want Yokasta Valle. I’m the best in this division. I want
to prove it by beating her. She can just hand me those belts
right now because when we fight it’s going to be bad for
her.”
Yudica said, “I do not agree at all with the scorecards. I
am convinced that nobody has hit her like I have hit her. If
not, she can take off her hat and show how her face has been
left.
I did a very good job. As I’ve said, nobody has hit her like
I have hit her. I came here to fight a world champion. I
knew who I was facing. I trained thoroughly. I planted my
feet when I needed to. I exchanged when I needed to. It was
a good fight, and I didn’t deserve this result.”
Cortes Stops Martinez
Andres Cortes (20-0, 11 KOs) got one step closer to a world
title shot by defeating Xavier Martinez (18-2, 12 KOs) via
seventh-round TKO to defend his US WBC silver junior
lightweight belt.
Cortes opened the fight by landing bombs on the taller
Martinez. However, Martinez was not deterred and used his
reach to connect with straight shots in the third and
fourth.
Martinez’s forward momentum, though, made it easy for Cortes
to land his overhand right, which caused Martinez to swell
below his left eye. By round seven, another right hand
opened up a gash on the swollen area.
Veteran trainer Robert Garcia deemed the cut too severe for
him to continue, and Martinez was not allowed to come out
for the eighth round.
Cortes said, “I was feeling myself, and I started finding a
groove. When that happens, the fight’s over. It was a good
stoppage. His eye was messed up. He was having trouble
seeing with the eye because he kept blinking.
“I want the winner of Emanuel Navarrete versus Oscar Valdez.
I want any champion at 130. If not, I’m going to move up 135
and get all of those champions there.”
Lightweight: Philadelphia's Nahir Albright (16-2, 7 KOs)
scored an upset eight-round majority decision win against
U.S. Olympian Karlos Balderas (14-2, 12 KOs). Balderas boxed
calmly from a high guard and had success with his jab.
However, his lack of punch output allowed Albright to win
rounds as he threw and landed more consistently. Scores:
76-76 and 77-75 2x.
Junior Welterweight: Dominican Olympian Rohan Polanco (10-0,
6 KOs) overwhelmed Panamanian contender Cesar Francis (12-2,
7 KOs) en route to a fifth-round TKO. Polanco dropped
Francis once with a left-right combo in the fourth and again
with flurry in the fifth. Francis got back to his feet, but
the referee deemed him unable to continue. Time of stoppage:
1:05.
Junior Lightweight: Emerging contender Abraham Nova (23-1,
16 KOs) blasted out former world champion Jonathan Romero
(35-2, 19 KOs) in three rounds. Nova landed a
picture-perfect right uppercut that floored Romero in the
second. In the following round, he connected with a
fight-finishing overhand right. Time of stoppage: 2:47.
Junior Featherweight: Subaru Murata (5-0, 5 KOs) extended
his knockout streak with a stoppage win against Juan Centeno
(8-9-3, 1 KO). Murata sent Centeno to the canvas in the
second round with a left uppercut. Centeno struggled to
recover, and he bowed out following the conclusion of round
three.
Light Heavyweight: Dante Benjamin Jr. (7-0-1, 5 KOs) and
William Langston (8-3-1, 5 KOs) fought to a six-round
majority draw. Benjamin boxed a cautious fight and was able
to connect early, but Langston was able to land shots of his
own in the final two rounds to even things up. Scores: 58-56
Langston and 57-57 2x.
Lightweight: Former Team USA amateur standout Charlie Sheehy
(7-0, 5 KOs) scored a third-round TKO against Kaylyn Alfred
(4-5-2). Sheehy landed a lead left hook that dropped Alfred,
who was unable to recover. Time of stoppage: :31.
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